consumer reports is running a story that claims that most infant car seats fail front and side crash tests which should be disconcerting to say the least to any parent. apparently u.s. federal guidelines only require that car seats be tested at 30 m.p.h. frontal which is lower than the 35 m.p.h. required for car testing. oddly, the federal rules don’t require side impact testing on car seats which is mandatory for vehicle testing. of the 12 seats tested only 2 performed “well” and “most failed disastrously”.

we have an eddie bauer deluxe 3 in 1 convertible car seat which was not tested; notably, the eddie bauer model that was tested was found unacceptable after their trained installers could not get the base to fit securely in five different vehicles, leading them to conclude that the base should be recalled.

so, what are you supposed to do if your model wasn’t tested? assume that you have a piece of junk and shell out more money for one of car seats that performed “well” or keep it and drive around with the lingering doubt that you’re not doing everything you can do to adequately protect your child in the event of a crash?